Georgia, mtskheta 1

Mtskheta (Georgian: მცხეთა is one of oldest cities of the country of Georgia (in Kartli province of Eastern Georgia), near Tbilisi. Mtskheta was a capital of the Georgian Kingdom of Iberia during the 3rd century BC - 5th century AD. Here Georgians accepted Christianity in 317 and Mtskheta still remains the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century, see photo) and Jvari Monastery (6th century) in Mtskheta are amongst the most significant monuments of Georgian Christian architecture. In Mtskheta can also be found the Armaztsikhe fortress (3rd century BC), the Armaztsikhe acropolis (dating to the late 1st millennium BC), the fragmentary remains of a royal palace (1st-3rd century AD), a nearby tomb of the 1st century AD, a small church of the 4th century, the Samtavro Monastery (11th century), the fortress of Bebris Tsikhe (14th century), the Institute of Archaeology, and the garden of Mikheil Mamulashvili. The "Historical Monuments of Mtskheta" is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is now the administrative centre of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region.